Principal Data Engineer - SME (Azure | Cloud Data Platforms)

Job Title – Principal Data Engineer - SME (Azure | Cloud Data Platforms)

Location – Remote (Canada) | Occasional Onsite in Edmonton, AB

Employment Type – Contract | Full-Time | 36.25 hrs/week

About the Role

We’re seeking a highly accomplished Principal Data Engineer (SME) to lead enterprise-scale data-platform modernization and analytics initiatives.

You’ll design and optimize cloud-based data pipelines, models, and analytics ecosystems using Azure Data Factory, Power BI, SSIS, and modern ETL/ELT practices.

This role requires deep expertise in data architecture, governance, and analytics enablement—with the ability to guide cross-functional Agile teams through end-to-end solution delivery.

You’ll influence architectural standards, mentor engineers, and ensure data is secure, accurate, and actionable across complex environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect, build, and optimize data pipelines (on-prem & cloud – Azure, AWS, GCP) for ingesting, transforming, and storing large datasets
• Design efficient dimensional models (star/snowflake) supporting BI & analytics performance
• Implement data quality, security, and governance frameworks ensuring compliance and trust
• Lead development of Power BI dashboards and DAX-based tabular models for self-service analytics
• Integrate data from diverse sources (SQL, NoSQL, APIs, files) while maintaining accuracy and lineage
• Automate deployments via CI/CD pipelines, Git-based workflows, and Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform, ARM, CloudFormation)
• Engineer solutions with Azure Data Factory, SSIS, and custom APIs to orchestrate data flows
• Perform migrations across on-prem, hybrid, and multi-cloud environments
• Collaborate with architects and business SMEs to define data strategy, quality standards, and metadata models
• Mentor teams on data-engineering best practices, performance tuning, and analytics automation

Mandatory Skills & Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive IT experience, with 10+ years in data engineering and architecture
• 8+ years designing and maintaining data pipelines and warehouse models for enterprise analytics
• 8+ years developing with Azure Data Factory, SSIS, SQL Server, and Power BI/DAX
• 7+ years ensuring data quality, governance, and security compliance in regulated environments
• 7+ years hands-on experience with Git, CI/CD, Docker/Kubernetes, and Infrastructure-as-Code for data-solution deployment
• 6+ years integrating relational and NoSQL databases (PostgreSQL, Cosmos DB, MongoDB, Synapse)
• 5+ years leading cross-functional Agile teams as technical lead or principal engineer

Preferred / Nice-to-Have Skills

• 3+ years leading custom application or analytics-platform projects through full SDLC
• 3+ years experience with Talend, Azure Synapse, or similar integration tools
• 3+ years applying data-governance frameworks and metadata management
• 3+ years experience migrating legacy ETL to modern cloud pipelines
• 3+ years exposure to AI/ML workflows using Databricks, Azure ML, or Python-based analytics
• Familiarity with Zero-Trust security, RBAC/ABAC controls, and data-access management
• Experience working within large public-sector or enterprise data ecosystems

About NetworkPedia

NetworkPedia is a certified women-owned technology and talent solutions company, providing IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, managed services, and specialized recruitment across North Americas and beyond. Our mission is to empower organizations with secure, scalable, and innovative technology while building inclusive teams that reflect the communities we serve.

As a trusted partner, we deliver expertise across networking, cloud, IT service management, and security operations, along with staffing solutions for niche technology roles. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in all our hiring practices and ensure that our opportunities are open to all qualified applicants, without discrimination on the basis of age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or disability.

How to Apply

Apply directly via LinkedIn Easy Apply or send your updated resume to